The present invention relates generally to magnetic tape recorders, and more particularly to a novel tape cleaner which may be readily mounted on the recorder for cleaning magnetic tape before it enters a recording head.
In magnetic tape recorders including a pair of spaced-apart take-up reels, a problem resides in adequately maintaining the magnetic tape in a clean condition. For instance, magnetic tape, when new, generally includes an excess amount of magnetic oxide which must be cleaned off. Continued use of the tape generally results in a build up of dust or other foreign material which substantially interferes with the recording or playback characteristics of the tape. Some tape manufacturers recommend that the tape be periodically cleaned by manually holding a piece of cloth for wiping off excess magnetic oxide or dust as the tape is run from one reel to another. In the case of rather large tape recorders, it may take considerable time as well as being generally inconvenient to perform such a cleaning operation.
It is necessary to maintain the tape in relatively clean condition so that so-called "drop outs" do not occur. This refers to the fact that a recording head or a playback head may not pick up the proper frequency range if the tape is not clean. An additional problem resides in the fact that a tape drive, such as a pinch roller used in combination with a drive roller may not adequately feed the tape from one reel to another if magnetic oxide and dust are accumulated beyond a certain level. Speed variations, known as "wow and flutter" may result from tapes having an excess of magnetic oxide and dust.
There have been several proposals to provide a tape cleaning device on magnetic tape recorders but such generally are expensive or inefficient. In addition, known methods for cleaning magnetic tapes are cumbersome and complex.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a tape cleaner for use in a magnetic tape recorder which is positioned in advance of the recorder's recording head for receiving a stretch of tape therebetween and for wiping the tape on both sides thereof as the tape is drawn therethrough. It is contemplated that the tape cleaner is detachably mounted on the tape recorder and will also reorient in response to a change in the position of the tape relative to its direction of feed into the recording head. Specifically, the position of a tape will be altered as tape is either payed out or reeled in on a take-up reel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mount for mounting the tape cleaner on the recorder which will shift in a substantially rectilinear path as well as rotate to accommodate orientation of the tape as it is drawn through the recording head.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tape cleaner which includes a pair of opposed cleaning elements which are mounted on a rotatable spindle for at least limited rotation.
These and additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated from a consideration of the drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.